The HBO version will focus on a young American-born Pakistani named Naz (Ahmed). Gandolfini will play Jack Stone, a down-and-out lawyer who hangs around police stations for clients, and is later hired by Naz.

The pilot will be produced by HBO with BBC Worldwide Productions, and will shoot in New York in the autumn. Gandolfini will executive produce along with Zaillian, Price, Moffat and the BBC's Jane Tranter.

The original BBC drama had two five-episode series, with each run following a person charged with murder through the justice system.

HBO's remake will follow the plot of the first series of the original show, which starred Skyfall's Ben Whishaw as Ben Coulter, a man who uses his father's taxi to pick up a girl who takes him back to her apartment after an evening of booze and drugs.

However, the next morning Ben discovers the girl has been stabbed to death. Although he has no memory of killing her, he is charged with her murder.

Criminal Justice won BAFTA Awards for 'Best Drama' and 'Best Writer', as well as an International Emmy and three Royal Television Society Awards.